Roy Harper was an eccentric English folk-rocker, a self-titled "sophisticated beggar" in the tradition of Hyde Park.

Sophisticated Beggar (Strike, 1966 - Magnum, 1989) and Come Out Fighting Ghengis Smith (Columbia, 1968) were the works of a rambling madman who mixed Donovan's tenderness, Syd Barrett's lunacy and David Peel's sarcasm.

Folkjokeopus (Liberty, 1969 - Awareness, 1987 - Science Friction, 2005) was less confrontational and contain his first epic, the 18-minute McGoohan's Blues.

Flat Baroque And Berserk (Harvest, 1970 - Science Friction, 2005) opened with the one-two punch of Don't You Grieve and the eight-minute I Hate The White Man, plus the seven-minute Tom Tiddler's Ground to round up the proceedings. In between there was the delicate Another Day, but it was like a flower in the middle of war ruins.

Stormcock (Harvest, 1971 - Science Friction, 2005), possibly his masterpiece, featuring string arrangements from David Bedford, displayed an eclectic art worthy of Tim Buckley through four lengthy suites: Hors d'Oeuvres, The Same Old Rock, One Man Rock And Roll Band, Me And My Woman. It will remain one of the most daring albums ever recorded by a singer songwriter.

In the meantime, Harper had developed serious health problems. Lifemask (1973) included the 6-minute Highway Blues and the 23-minute spoken-word poem The Lord's Prayer, but it was fundamentally a transitional work.

Valentine (Harvest, 1974) included some of his best songs (Forbidden Fruit, I'll See You Again, Commune, Home) but no sprawling poem.

The live Flashes From The Archives Of Oblivion (Harvest, 1974) was a tribute to his own madness and to the psychedelic era.

HQ (Harvest, 1975), featuring Bill Bruford on drums and Chris Spedding on guitar, returned him to his trademark delirious, epic-length pieces but with a hard-rock sound (the 14-minute The Game) and an intensely nostalgic view of England (the seven-minute When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease).

Bullinamingvase (1977 - Science Friction, 2005) had the 21-minute One Of Those Days In England, while opting for a fuller band sound (and guests such as Alvin Lee of Ten Years After and Ronnie Lane of the Faces).

Commercial Breaks, recorded in 1977, would only be released in 1994.

Roy Harper 1970/75 (Harvest, 1978) is an anthology.

The Unknown Soldier (Harvest, 1980) and Work Of Heart (Harvest, 1982) closed a phase in his career, but the following works were mediocre at best: Born In Captivity (Awareness, 1984), What Ever Happened To Jugula (1985), a collaboration with Jimmy Page, the double live album In Between Every Line (EMI, 1986), Descendants Of Smith (EMI, 1988), which is perhaps the best of the 1980s, Once (Awareness, 1990), Burn the World (Awareness, 1991), Death Or Glory (Awareness, 1992), plus assorted live, rare, unreleased and spoken-word compilations. After a period of "mourning", Harper released The Dream Society (Science Friction, 1998) and and The Green Man (Science Friction, 2000).